[He doesn't have any doubt that Iris will overcome - whatever is causing this. But there's a pang all the same, because sometimes parents don't come back. Sometimes they don't.
He puts a hand on the side of the bus. It's hard for him to really pinpoint the source, this close, because it feels like the crying is echoing all around him as well as through him, but he supposes it doesn't matter. He burns brass, low at first and then stronger, wanting to soothe that terrible familiar ache away. He thinks of Kelsier, hands still tiny bit chubby, the devastation still fresh, balanced on Marsh's knees and curled resentfully against his chest. He'd been angrier than this child - ship or not, it's a child to him - but underneath it was the same.]
Shhh. Shhh.
[He doesn't really realize he's saying it out loud, lost in the muddle of memory and compassion, wanting to comfort what he knows so well can never really be comforted. But it can be bourne, can be made bearable. Shhh, we're still not alone.]
[spam]
He puts a hand on the side of the bus. It's hard for him to really pinpoint the source, this close, because it feels like the crying is echoing all around him as well as through him, but he supposes it doesn't matter. He burns brass, low at first and then stronger, wanting to soothe that terrible familiar ache away. He thinks of Kelsier, hands still tiny bit chubby, the devastation still fresh, balanced on Marsh's knees and curled resentfully against his chest. He'd been angrier than this child - ship or not, it's a child to him - but underneath it was the same.]
Shhh. Shhh.
[He doesn't really realize he's saying it out loud, lost in the muddle of memory and compassion, wanting to comfort what he knows so well can never really be comforted. But it can be bourne, can be made bearable. Shhh, we're still not alone.]